Friday, June 29, 2007

"...And finally I am curious (in the kindest possible way) why you would label yourself as "stay-at-home-mom/college dropout". I guess because at the point in your life when I met you your college status didn't (and still doesn't) seem relevant to me as to who you are; but it must be relevant to you. Does that make any sense?"

It does make sense. And I will explain myself.

I chose a very interesting time to start the daily blogging: it's been a very busy week. And I don't mean that in a Penelope-ish, I'm-so-much-busier-than-you way; I mean it in a Holy-Crap-we've-got-a-lot-going-on-right-now and I-thought-the-summer-would-be-more-relaxed-than-this way.

When I wrote that post, where I labeled myself as such, that description was relevant to me as I was struggling to put together a resume. Or, more accurately, tell Sue the information about myself that would be relevant to a resume. And that's what I came up with: In the past 8+ years, I have changed approximately thirty trillion diapers; I have no degree to speak of (I dropped out of UVSC, and all the classes I've taken at the BYU have been music classes, religion classes, and PE classes). What I am is what I am and I have no regrets about what I've chosen to do: I love being home with my children. Trying to get any information together to make myself remotely attractive to potential employers was a tad daunting. "I was a cashier at an office supply store...in 1998."

As it turns out, Sue put together what, in my opinion, was a pretty impressive resume (considering, you know, the subject). My brother helped me polish it up, and I turned it in at three places. I was interviewed at two of those places, one of them twice. It was where I interviewed twice that I was hired, and that was my first choice of where to be hired.

Props to sue once more: she knows the owner and, essentially, got me the first interview.

So, yes, that is occassionally how I identify myself, because it's true: I am a stay-at-home mom, and a college dropout. This week, however, I've added two more descriptions to my title: student (I'm taking a class at the BYU this term), and part-time out-of-the-home employee.

Congratulations, Jenny! It's amazing what a good resume will do for you. It's too bad that we have to "fancy up" what we do as mothers in order to justify our potential worth as an employee. Anyway, way to go!